Sole flexing apparatus



May 30, 1939.. A. F. BANCROFT SOLE FLEXING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 29, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g u. H JM H HHMP W H A. F. BANCROFTSOLE FLEXING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 29, 1937 W May 30, 1939.

III

Patented May 30, 1939 HE STATES SOLE FLEXING AFPPARATUS Albert F.Bancroft,

West Newton, Mass.

Application October 29, 1937, Serial No. 171,664

7 Claims.

This invention pertains to shoe manufacture, and relates moreparticularly to apparatus useful in flexing sole members for shoes orother articles of footwear.

In order to make sole members flexible, it has been common, inaccordance with prior practice, to subject the sole member to a flexingoperation as, for example, by passing it through a set of rolls, but theusual flexing apparatus is designed for sole members which are ofsubstantial thickness and is not at all satisfactory for flexing verythin soles or those having relatively heavy areas of limited superficialextent such, for example, as a Sbicca outer sole.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide improvedsole flexing apparatus'paticularly useful for flexing very thin solemembers or for locally flexing the thick central pcrtion of the forepartof a Sbicca sole, although the utility of the invention is notnecessarily limited to the flexing of such soles.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for so flexing anouter sole as to leave the sole with a slight tendency to curl towardits inner side thereby to ensure a close contact of the sole with thelasted-in marginal portion of the upper when the outer sole is laid andsecured in place.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved sole flexingmeans of very simple inexpensive type and which may be operatedsuccessfully by workers having but little previous training or skill.

Further objects and advantages of the inventicn will be made manifest inthe following more detailed description and by reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation,partly in vertical section, illustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention and showing the parts in the normal position which they occupyprior to the introduction of the sole for flexing;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, butomitting certain parts;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly broken away and invertical section and to larger scale than Fig. 1., illustrating the postion of the parts at the initiation of the sole flexing operation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section illustrating a sole flexing member ofmodified construction;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of a thin shoe sole before flexing;

Fig. 5 is an edge elevation of the sole of Fig.4 after flexing;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating apparatus of slightlymodified construction;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan View illustrating a still furthermodification; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the device of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates a suitable workbench upon which is mounted the work support or base 2 of that portionof the apparatus which is disposed above the bench. This base 2 may beof cast metal, wood or other suitable material, as desired, and adjacentto its rear end, that is to say, the left-hand side as viewed in Fig. 1,supports a bracket 3 upon which is mounted a grooved pulley t. At apoint substantially midwa; the length of the base member 2, there isprovided a bracket device which may, if desired, comprise two identicalbut separate members 5 conveniently made frcm angle iron and each havingan upstanding flange or car ii. These ears are disposed in parallelrelation and spaced apart and are provided with aligned openings for thereception of a carriagesupporting pivot 8.

On the pivot B is mounted the carriage l! which may be made in anydesired manner and from any suitable material but which is convenientlymade from two lengths of strap steel riveted or otherwise securedtogether to form the elongate body portion 9. This body portion of thecar-- riage is furnished with an elongate slot it which receives thesupporting pivot 8,-the body portion a being disposed between themembers 6 which constrain it to move in a substan tially vertical plane.By reason of the elongate slot It the carriage may slide bodilylongitudinally of the support 2 and may alsc swing 1-- a vertical planeabout the axis of the pivot 3.

At its forward portion the carriage is of yokeshape, comprising the armsl6 and it which are spaced apart a distance greater than the width ofany sole which is to be flexed. The free ends of these arms areconnected hy the flexing member l2. As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,this flexing member is a simple rod of steel or other suitable rigidmaterial fixed at opposite ends in suitable openings in the arms and ll. 17- ever, if preferred and as illustrated in 3 the flexing member mayconsist of an elongate pivot member I2 secured at its opposite ends tothe arms l0 and. H, respectively, and constituting a bearing for afreely rotating roller R.

Whatever thev construction of the flexing member, it is desirable thatits external diameter should be relatively small so that when a sole isbent about it as hereinafter described, the radius of curvature of thesole will be quite small, the action, in flexing the sole, beingcomparable to that commonly employed in removing curl from aphotographic print by drawing the print over a sharp edge. To obtain thedesired action, the effective radius of the sole contacting part of theflexing member may, for example, approximately equal the thickness ofthe sole to be flexed.

The rear end of the body portion 9 of the carriage is provided with anopening which receives a hook E3 or equivalent device to which issecured one end of a flexible cable or chain l4 which leads about thepulley 4 and then down through a suitable opening in the support 2 andthrough an aperture I5 in the bench l and has its lower end connected toa hook or equivalent member 55 which engages a lug ll projectingupwardly from a treadle lever 18. This treadle lever is pivoted at H) toa bracket which may be secured to the floor beneath the bench I or to aportion of the bench or the wall, as may be preferred, and is furnishedat its forward end with a foot-contacting member 20.

A spring 2| is connected at one end to the hook or, if preferred,directly to the member 9, and the opposite end of the spring is anchoredto a fixed part, for example to the bracket l. This spring tends to movethe carriage forwardly or to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, the limitof its forward movement being determined by the length of the slot ill.In order that the flexing member i2 may be suitably spaced from theupper surface of the base member 2 to permit introduction of a solebeneath the flexing member, it is preferred to provide a resilientholddown member 2 5 such as a spring arm anchored to the bracket 5 andhaving a finger at its free end which overlies the upper edge of thebody porticn 9 of the carriage at a point to the rear of the pivot 3.While this member 2 I holds the flexing member I2 in the position shownin Fig. 1 when the apparatus is not in action, it does not interferewith any up and down movement of the member l2 during the actualoperation of the .evice.

In order to assist the operator in holding the sole in position on thesupport 2 during the flexing operation, it is preferred to provide theupper face of the base member 2 at its forward end with a frictionelement 22 such, for example, as a layer of sandpaper, a knurled metalplate, or the like, although, as hereinafter described, it may bepreferred to employ mechanical means such as a clamping device forpositively holding the sole in position.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, which illustrate a iber such as may readilybe flexed by the s apparatus, the sole 25 is shown as of 'xally uniformthickness from the toe por tion F to the heel portion H. However, theapparatus is well adapted to flex the forepart of a Sbicca type outersole, which has a thick area at its central part.

In using the apparatus above described, the operator slips the toeportion F of the sole beneath the flexing member i2, doubles the forepart of the sole sharply about the flexing memer and, if desired, mayhold the doubled-over toe portion F downwardly against the body portionof the sole merely by pressure of his hand during the flexing operation.However, to relieve the hand of the operator and to assist in obtaininga better and more uniform pressure, it is preferred to provide, as anadjunct to the apparatus, a rigid pressing block 23 having a hand grip24. This pressing block is held down against the doubled-over portion Fof the sole (for example, by the rigid hand of the operator) so as topress the toe end firmly against the body portion of the sole. At thesame time the operator grasps the heel portion H with his left hand,thus to prevent bodily movement of the sole in a 1ongitudinal directionduring the operation of the flexing member. The friction element 22assists in thus holding the sole, particularly if the forward edge ofthe block 23 is so disposed as to press the body portion of the solefirmly against the friction member.

With the parts positioned as illustrated in Fig. 3, the operator placeshis foot on the member 20 and depresses the treadle, thus pulling on thecord or chain M and drawing the entire carriage l bodily in the rearwarddirection longitudinally of the sole. Since the flexing member #2 islocated in a fold or bend of the sole and since the sole can not movebodily with the flexing member, the line of flexure of the sole isdragged rearwardly, and since the sole is bent to a small radius ofcurvature, this dragging action of the flexing member produces a verysharp progressive flexing of the sole which is found to be highlyeffective in softening and flexing the flber without damage to the sole.However, the sharp flexing and dragging action tends to cause the soleto curl, as shown in Fig. 5.

By the arrangement above described it is possible to flex the solelocally without subjecting the entire sole to the flexing operation, andwhen used for flexing soles of the Sbicca type, it is thus possible toincrease the flexibility of the sole at the forepart, where it isabnormally thick, without at the same time unduly softening the otherand relatively thin portions of the sole.

The apparatus is thus capable of locally flexing soles of non-uniformthickness; of flexing some particular portion of a sole of uniformthickness, for example, when it is desired to flex the forepart of anordinary sole without increasing the flexibility at the heel portion andshank; or of flexing an entire sole, as well as for imparting a curl tothe sole to facilitate its close contact with other parts of the shoebottom poses it may be preferable to use a positive clamp for holdingthe sole in position rather than to rely upon a friction element such asthe element 22.

Thus, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7, the block 23 of Fig. 3 isreplaced by a pressure-applying member 23 which is pivotally supportedat 27 upon the upper end of a rod 23 which slides vertically in a borein the base member 2 and which is normally drawn downwardly by means ofa heavy spring 29. Adjacent to the pivot 21, the block 23 is furnishedwith an eccentric portion 3%. In introducing the sole beneath theflexing member iii, the pressure-applying element 23 is first swung uptoward the vertical position, but after the forward part F of the solehas been doubled around the flexing member 52, the pressure-applyingdevice 23 is moved downwar ly, as shown in Fig. '7, and in so moving,the eccentric member 3f! clamps the sole against the upper surface ofthe support 2. Obviously, if desired, the upper surface of the supportmay, in this case, as well as in the arrangement of Figs. 1 to 3, beprovided with a friction surface so as to ensure a firm grip.

In Figs. 8 and 9 a still further construction is illustrated wherein theclamping member is independent of the pressure-applying device. In thisinstance the support 2 is provided with brackets and 32 at its oppositesides which receive a pivot rod 33 upon which is mounted a clampinglever 3t having the eccentric contact element 35. If desired, the uppersurface of the base 2 may be furnished with a friction device 22 such asabove described.

In the use of this device the operator swings the lever arm 3d upwardlysubstantially to verti cal position and pushes the sole forwardlybeneath the member 35 and beneath the flexing member I2 (not shown inFigs. 8 and 9). He then swings the lever 34 down to the position shownin Fig. 9, thus firmly clamping the sole against the support 2.position, the forward part of the sole is doubled over the flexingmember and the doubled-over portion may be held down against the body ofthe sole during the flexing operation either by hand or with theassistance of a pressure-applying block such as the block 23 abovereferred to.

While certain desirable embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated by way of example, it is to be understood that the inventionis not necessarily limited to these precise embodiments but is to beregarded as broadly inclusive of all equivalents falling within thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Sole flexing apparatus comprising a support for a sole to be flexed,means operative to resist bodily movement of the sole in a longitudinaldirection, a sole flexing member normally spaced from the support asufficient distance to permit a sole to be placed between the flexingmember and the support, said flexing member being designed and arrangedto have a portion of the sole doubled about it, means operative to movethe flexing member bodily longitudinally over the support and of thesole, and means for holding the sole bent about the flexing member whilethe latter is being moved.

2. Sole flexing apparatus comprising a support for a sole to be flexed,retaining means carried by the support for opposing bodily movement of asole resting on the support, a rigid flexing member arranged to extendtransversely of a soie resting on the support and about which a portionof the sole may be doubled, a movable carriage for the flexing member,and means for moving the carriage and the flexing member longitudinallyover the support and longitudinally of a sole resting on the latter.

3. Sole flexing apparatus comprising a support Having thus clamped thesole in ment of a sole resting on the support, a flexing memberextending transversely of the sole and of a length greater than thewidth of the sole, a carriage for the flexing member, said carriagebeing mounted on the support and being movable longitudinally of thesole, a foot-operated treadle and connections between the treadle andcarriage such that actuation of the treadle moves the carriage, andmeans operative to hold a portion of the sole bent sharply about theflexing member While the carriage is being moved.

4. Apparatus for flexing shoe soles, comprising a support for the soleto be flexed, a carriage and a flexing member mounted on the carriage,means for supporting the carriage for bodily movement longitudinally ofthe sole and for rocking movement toward and from the support, meansnormally limiting approach of the flexing member toward the support,means tending to hold the carriage at one limit of its path oflongitudinal movement, means for moving the carriage toward the otherlimit of said path, and means operative to resist bodily movement of thesole with the carriage.

5. Apparatus for flexing shoe soles, comprising a support for a sole tobe flexed, a carriage comprising a longitudinally slotted body portionand a yoke portion comprising spaced arms, a flexing bar extendingtransversely from one of said arms to the other, a pivot memberextending through the slot in the carriage and about which the carriagemay rock and with reference to which the carriage may slide bodily,spring means tending to move the carriage in one direction, meansnormally limiting rocking of the yoke portion of the carriage toward thesole support, and means operative to move the carriage bodily relativelyto said pivot member.

6. Sole flexing apparatus comprising a support for a sole, a flexingmember movable longitudinally of a sole member so supported, a leverpivoted to the support, said lever comprising a clamp operative to clampone end portion of the sole to the support, and means operative to movethe flexing member longitudinally over the support and of the sole awayfrom the clamp.

'7. Sole flexing apparatus comprising a support for a sole, a flexingmember movable longitudinally of a sole mounted on the support, a leverpivoted to the support, said lever comprising a clamp element operativeto engage and clamp one end portion of the sole to the support, and apressure-applying part operative to hold the opposite end portion of thesole doubled over the flexing member, and means for moving the flexingmember away from the clamping element.

ALBERT F. BANCROFT.

